System and method for remote activation of a storage operation of pictorial information

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a system and method for remote activation of a storage operation of pictorial information. According to the invention, it involves a wearable sensor device, comprising at least one sensor, a processing unit, a memory unit, and a wireless signaling unit for communicating with external devices over a wireless link by means of one-way transmission of information. A second device comprises a recording apparatus adapted to be set in a mode of continuous capture of pictorial information, a memory, and a wireless signaling system for communicating with external devices over a wireless link. The processing unit in the wearable sensor device is adapted, based on sensor signals received from said at least one sensor, to send commands over the wireless link to the second digital device to trigger, in response to said commands, storage of at least part of said continuously captured pictorial information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a system and method for remote activation of a storage operation of pictorial information.

More specifically, the invention relates to personal wearable and sports devices, where the user wants to capture pictorial information in form of video footage of performances and situations, and store them for later viewing, editing and sharing.

Description of Related Art

Various approaches to the problem of recording, editing, viewing and sharing of video information with personal devices are known. One such approach is presented in U.S. Pat. No. 8,613,937, where management of broadcasted and received video information with a mobile device is discussed. The content is not produced or edited by the user in any way, but filtering and bookkeeping features are offered for the content as such.

Another approach is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,214,139, where a navigation device may be configured to trigger various actions based on GPS positioning, an identified position change or acceleration. Such recording devices are however triggered by position data only, and the length of the footage is determined by external conditions.

Another approach is shown in US Patent Application 2013/0343729, where a system for semi-automated video editing is discussed. The system is based on an algorithm for evaluation and classification of offered video content, giving as a result a compiled and edited version of the input material where selected sequences of the original video material is included based on action, facial expressions etc.

In sports and outdoor activities, it would often be desirable to collect memories in the form of video footage during a performance or a mountain trip, for example. There is no lack of cameras to take such footage with, including the ones built-in into smartphone and PDA's. Editing such video material afterwards is time consuming and cumbersome. Also during training, it would be important for the trainee and/or the trainer to record certain sequences, perhaps taken a multitude of times, of the performance for later analysis. Long video sequences does not lend themselves easily to spot, isolate and view critical performance steps, the duration of which may be only a fraction of a second.

Thus there is a need for a system which is able to take video clips only when needed without a great deal of effort from the user and without having to hold the camera in place. It is also a requirement to keep the necessary editing at a minimum, whereby the video clips must be of a length and having a timeline around the triggering event that is known in advance, rendering them easy to scan through in order to accept or reject.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus an object of the present invention to present a solution to the problems identified above, offering a solution based on two separate devices with a wireless connection between them, and on sensors connected to one or both of the devices. The inventive system, method and devices offer an efficient solution for collecting only relevant video footage around triggered events along an exercise or trip of any kind. The so collected video clips are easy to chain together to tell a “full” story, or to just browse through to select the most appropriate ones for immediate sharing over a network or for editing.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the inventive system for remote activation of a storage operation of pictorial information comprises a wearable sensor device, comprising at least one sensor, a processing unit for running computer programs, a memory unit for storing said instructions for said computer programs and a wireless signaling unit for communicating with external devices over a wireless link by means of one-way transmission of information. It also comprise at least one second device comprising a recording apparatus adapted to be set in a mode of continuous capture of pictorial information, a memory, and a wireless signaling system for communicating with external devices over a wireless link.

The processing unit in the wearable sensor device is adapted, based on sensor signals received from said at least one sensor, to send commands over said wireless link to said second digital device to trigger, in response to said commands, storage of at least part of said continuously captured pictorial information in the memory of said at least one second device.

It is to be understood that the commands may be are generated by any means where a sensor is detecting a desired trigger event for storage of pictorial information. Such sensors included in the device may track movements by means of measuring acceleration, directions by means of a magnetometer, location by means of a GPS sensor, the height or changes in height by means of an air pressure sensor, etc. The sensor device may also have a timer function. Naturally, the location of the sensor device may be selected according to the sports discipline or other movements during the performance that will initiate the desired commands to be sent over wireless link

The sensor device may be a sensor module that is detachably attached to an apparel or equipment of a user, integrated in a garment worn by the user, integrated in a shoe or other sport equipment of the user.

The second device may be one or several wearable digital cameras, or a smartphone equipped with at least one digital camera, for example.

In some embodiments, the second device is adapted to store captured pictorial information as video clips in its memory a predetermined period of time before and/or after having received a storage command.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a method of activating a storage operation of pictorial information is provided, including the steps of:

-   -   providing a wearable sensor device comprising at least one         sensor, a processing unit for running computer programs, a         memory unit for storing said instructions for said computer         programs and a wireless signaling unit for communicating with         external devices over a wireless link by means of one-way         transmission of information;     -   providing at least one second device comprising a recording         apparatus adapted to be set to continuous capture of pictorial         information, a memory, and a wireless signaling system for         communicating with external devices over a wireless link;     -   receiving in said wearable device sensor signals from said at         least one sensor and producing based on said sensor signals         commands to instruct storage of pictorial information in said         second device;     -   transmitting said commands over said wireless link to said         second device;     -   receiving said commands in said at least one second device and         triggering in response to said commands storage of at least part         of said continuously captured pictorial information in a memory         of said at least one second device.

The inventive method may comprise a further step of storing in said at least one second device captured pictorial information as video clips of a predetermined length, wherein each clip is captured a predetermined period of time before and/or after a storage command was issued.

The invention brings considerable advantages as an efficient solution for collecting only relevant video footage around triggered events along an exercise or trip of any kind. The collected video clips are chained together and tells as such the “full” story of the event, but it is also very easy to browse through them to select the most appropriate clip(s) e.g. for immediate sharing over a network, or for editing.

With the aid of the present invention, the user need to spend less time editing footage, capture the moments he or she wants to save. The inventive concept also saves memory on memory cards typically used in digital cameras. Using pre-created or own-made applications for managing the recording of footage, the user itself can define conditions for which the recording will take place.

It is an essential feature of the present invention that the recording apparatus adapted to be in a mode of continuous capture of pictorial information. When the camera is set on, it will capture and keep a certain amount of video footage in memory where new footage erases the older, as in an endless tape recording. Only when a command is issued to initiate storage of the captured pictorial information, it will be permanently stored in the memory of the camera. This facilitates storage of video material which was captured immediately before the storage command was issued, as well as after the command. The recording period, which obviously can be set by the user and heavily depends on the nature of the event, may use all time of the period to store the video signal up to the storage command was issued, the recording period may center around the storage command, the period may start with the storage command, or any combination thereof.

For the purposes of this description and in this context, the words “recording” and “capture” are used as synonyms describing the process of recording video footage at least temporarily in a recording device that is set to be in a continuous recording mode. The word “store” and all its derivatives including “storage” are used for video footage or video clips that is actually stored permanently for later viewing, editing and/or sharing.

The wireless communication system providing wireless link may be based on radio technologies like Bluetooth or RFID, or any short-range communication system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the main components of the inventive system;

FIG. 2 shows a wristop computer and a camera unit according to the invention in more detail;

FIG. 3 shows an example of the inventive system when it is carried by the user;

FIG. 4 shows an example of the inventive system where one component of the system is stationary;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic representation of video clips recorded according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart diagram over a video clip storage procedure according to the invention.

FIG. 7 shows a further example of the inventive system when it is carried by the user;

FIG. 8 shows the main components of the inventive system; and

FIG. 9 shows a sensor unit suitable for use in the inventive system in more detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In FIG. 1 is shown the main components of the inventive system: a wristop computer 1, a unit 2 containing a video camera and a general-purpose computer 3 with a connection to an external network (not shown). If the camera unit 2 is a smartphone or tablet computer with en external (internet) network connection in itself, the computer 3 may not be necessary. Also, not all the connections between the devices need necessarily to be two-way communications. For example, in some embodiments of the invention, the wristop computer may only need to send to the camera unit 2, but not to receive anything from it.

The general-purpose computer, or a service accessed with it from the internet, may provide a programmable user interface for the wristop computer 1. Apart from obvious data selection and input needs, such as selecting display styles and colors of the display of the wristop computer 1, reading available measurement data from the wristop computer 1 into the other computer 3, and downloading various user-selected software. An important task for the user interface being operable on the computer 3 (or the camera unit 2, if so equipped), is to allow for setting or editing of parameters for the various applications running in the wristop computer. These applications depend on the sensors available to the wristop computer 1 and the needs of the user, and the parameters may typically be sensor value trigger levels for activation of the camera unit 2, video clip recording times, and so on.

It is clear that the two-way communication between the computer system 3 and the wristop computer 1 may facilitate a user interface editor system installed on the computer 3 that may be used for editing a user interface of predefined applications running in the wristop computer 1. It is also within the scope of the present invention to store the data and customized views in a format that is transferable as data files to other similar devices or social media, or to remote services e.g. on the internet for bookkeeping and further processing.

In FIG. 2 is shown the wristop computer 1 and the camera unit 2 in more detail. The wristop computer 1 has a processing unit 21 for running computer programs and applications. A user interface unit 22 receives manual commands entered by the user e.g. by push-buttons 26. A memory unit 23 is provided for storing operating systems, application program code and received instructions. A sensor interface 24 provides a wired connection to one or more built-in sensors (not shown), and/or a wired or wireless connection (see above) to external sensing devices. Typically, the sensors may be accelerometers, gyroscopes or other orientation-detecting switches, timers, GPS-devices, shock sensors, inclinometers and so forth.

A wireless signaling unit 25 is needed for communication with the camera unit 2 and/or any external computers 3 over a wireless link, as shown by the arrow L. The wireless communication protocol used for communication between computers, and/or between any remote sensors, may be a Bluetooth LE or the proprietary ANT+ protocol. These are using direct-sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) modulation techniques and an adaptive isochronous network configuration, respectively. Enabling descriptions of necessary hardware for various implementations for wireless links are available e.g. from the Texas Instrument®'s handbook “Wireless Connectivity” which includes IC circuits and related hardware configurations for protocols working in sub-1- and 2.4-GHz frequency bands, such as ANTI™, Bluetooth®, Bluetooth® low energy, RFID/NFC, PurePath™ Wireless audio, ZigBee®, IEEE 802.15.4,ZigBee RF4CE, 6LoWPAN, Wi-Fi®, GPS.

In FIG. 3 is shown a man on a snowboard with a wristop computer 30 attached to his wrist and a camera 31 attached to his forehead by some suitable fastening means. Obviously, the camera may be attached to any part of the clothing, or to the snowboard.

The wireless link L provides for wireless communication between the two devices 30 and 31. If so programmed, the wristop computer will send instructions to the camera 31 to start the storage of video clips when the ground speed, the vertical speed or acceleration (on a steep slope) exceeds a certain limit, or the gravity (lack of vertical acceleration) is zero or below a certain limit, indicating that the snowboarder makes a jump in the air. The trigger function may be based on any physical variable the sensors may detect, and the trigger rules may be built by an editing function to consider any combination of such variables, as will be explained later in the examples. Editors for designing and editing triggers are as such known in the art. In this context, it is also possible and within the scope of the invention to provide the camera 31 with the desired sensors, and to send in advance commands containing trigger information by the wristop computer 30 to the camera 31. During the performance, the camera 31interprets the received sensing signals and try to match them with the trigger information. When a match occurs, storage of pictorial information is initiated.

In FIG. 4 is shown the use of the present inventive system in a downhill ski-related embodiment, where the camera 41 is stationary, and the wristop computer 40 attached to the wrist (or elsewhere) of a user is operated to activate the camera 41 via the wireless link L to store a clip when the user approaches or passes across the line-of-sight of the camera. In this way, repetitive footage can be taken e.g. for training and comparison purposes. It is clear that within the scope of the invention, any number of cameras can be placed at a distance from each other or at different angles with respect to a performance spot or along a route. The triggering of the cameras may be manual or automatic, using e.g. proximity sensing. The conditions at some spots of performance, like at a take-off ramp, easily create conditions that can make the sensors in the wristop computer 41 to trigger the camera to store the event. Other performance spots to be monitored, e.g. on board of a sailing ship, are more likely to be manually or proximity triggered.

FIG. 5 is a schematic and exemplary representation of video clips VC1 . . . VC6 stored in a semiconductor or magnetic memory. Thumbnail icons T1-T6 showing the content of each of the video clips may be looked at for immediate decision on how to deal with each of the clips. Of course, a variety of editing technologies exist and it is not in the scope of the present invention to deal with the art of managing video clips in detail.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart diagram over the basic video clip storage procedure according to the invention. In step 60, the wristop computer 1 of FIG. 2 is monitoring the sensor signals. If the input signals at test 61 exceed the pre-set trigger threshold for start storing video footage, a command to this effect is issued in 62 and communicated in step 63 to the camera unit 2. The camera unit in this example, records the next 15 seconds of video footage, and stores it with the previous 15 seconds of captured video in one video clip, as those shown in FIG. 5. Obviously and equally well, the whole length of the clip could be stored from video material captured before the command, and stop at the command. Vice versa, the whole length of the clip could be stored from video material captured after the command and stopped after a predetermined time.

EXAMPLES

1. Ski Stunts

The user wants to record his friend's greatest jumps/stunts. After each successful jump, when button is pressed, 30 seconds of recorded video footage preceding the pressing of the button is stored. User can pre-define the length of stored footage.

//if user is on moving and in free fall for longer that 2 seconds: record a movie clip 30 sec before and 30 after. if (SUUNTO_SPEED > 10 && SUUNTO_G[2] < 1) { ACTIVATE.CAMERA_AFTERTHOUGHT(30); clipsrecorded = clipsrecorded+1; //show how many clips have been recorded RESULT = clipsrecorded; }

2. Using a Stationary and a Moving Device

Here, a user wants to get short clips without the need/possibility to manipulate the camera on the go. Proximity determination can be based on signal strength sensing, or it can be location-based using GPS. For example, the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard features proximity sensing. Other signal strength based options include ultrasound sensing e.g. in underwater applications or short-range inductive wireless (telemetric) devices. In location based proximity sensing, both the wristop computer and the camera may have GPS capabilities, or only the device on the move, provided that the position of the stationary device is fed into the GPS navigator.

Snowboarding with a helmet mounted camera, divers passing a stationary camera, sailing boats passing a turning point buoy are examples of useful applications in this regard. Filming a skateboarding trick with a camera mounted in the rail is also feasible, e.g. by using the following code:

//If user is approaching the camera start filming. if(SUUNTO_PROXIMITY < 15 && recording == 0){ ACTIVATE.CAMERA_RECORD( );  recording = 1; //when user is gone, stop recording }else if (SUUNTO_PROXIMITY >15 && recording == 1){ ACTIVATE.CAMERA_STOP( ); recording = 0; }

3. Mountain Biking

User wants to film the downhill trails (maintaining a high speed) of a mountain bike expedition. He wants to automatically control the camera when hands can't be removed from the handlebar.

if (SUUNTO_SPEED > 30 && recording == 0) { ACTIVATE.CAMERA_RECORD( ); recording = 1; }else if (SUUNTO_SPEED < 20 && recording == 1){ ACTIVATE.CAMERA_STOP( ); recording = 0; }

During such a trail, the user likely wants to record the best views, spots, jumps etc. Here the buttons of the wristop computer can be used to bookmark the spots for future editing. The bookmarks can be saved to camera memory as short clips, to allow faster editing.

With reference to FIGS. 7-9, an inventive system and method for remote activation of a storage operation of pictorial information is shown and described herein as follows:

The inventive system as used by a person 70 in FIG. 7 comprise wearable sensor devices 71, 72 and/or 73, which can be integrated in the equipment, like in a shoe (sensor 71), a garment (sensor 72), or worn detachably on the body (sensor 73), or simply in a pocket (not shown). If a sensor 71-73 includes acceleration sensors, its location may preferably be selected according to the sports discipline or other movements during the performance that will initiate the desired commands to be sent over wireless link 76 to a digital recording device, here depicted as a smart phone 74 rigged onto a stick 75. In response to such commands, the camera in the device 74 will be triggered to store in its memory a predefined part of the continuously captured pictorial information. Obviously, a camera 74 can also be carried on the person 70, as shown in FIG. 3.

The sensor device 71-73 comprises at least one sensor. The sensors included in the device may track movements by means of measuring acceleration, directions by means of a magnetometer, location by means of a GPS sensor, the height or changes in height by means of an air pressure sensor, etc. The sensor device may also have a timer function that may send out one or intermittently several commands at predetermined time(s), or it may delay the sending of a command with a predetermined time delay after the triggering event has occurred, for example.

The receiving device 74 may perform further calculations based on the received commands over the wireless link. If commands are sent out in a sequence, e.g. based on a timed function or asynchronously as sequential triggering events occur, the receiving device may measure the received signal strength and start the storage of the continuously captured pictorial information when the signal strength reaches a predefined threshold level, for example. Similar location-based calculations can be made based on a GPS sensor that is set to send a command when reaching a particular location, for example

With reference to FIG. 8, the inventive system shown comprises a sensor device 80, here attached to a chest belt 81, a one-way wireless link 82 and a recording device 83.

The sensor device is now described in more detail in connection with FIG. 9. The sensor device 90 comprises a t least one sensor 91, a processing unit 94 for running computer programs, a memory unit 92 for storing instructions for the computer programs, and a wireless signaling unit 93 for communicating with external devices over a one-way wireless link 95. The processing unit 94 is adapted, based on sensor signals received from the sensor(s) 91, to send commands over the wireless link 95 to a second digital device 74, 83 to trigger, in response to said commands, storage of at least part of the continuously captured pictorial information in a memory of the second digital device.

According to some embodiments, the sensor device is a sensor module that is detachably attached to an apparel or equipment of a user. According to some embodiments, the sensor device is a sensor module that is integrated in a garment worn by the user. According to some further embodiments, the sensor device is a sensor module that is integrated in a shoe of the user. According to some embodiments, the sensor device may also be a sensor module that is integrated in sports equipment used by the user.

The second digital device is according to some embodiments a wearable digital camera 83. According to some embodiments, the second digital device is a smartphone 74 equipped with at least one digital camera. According to some embodiments, the second device may more than one digital camera.

According to the invention, the second digital device may be adapted to store captured pictorial information as video clips in its memory a predetermined period of time before and/or after having received a storage command, as explained in connection with FIG. 6.

According to the inventive method, the activation of a storage operation of pictorial information includes the steps of:

-   -   providing a wearable sensor device 71-73; 80; 90 comprising at         least one sensor 91, a processing unit 94 for running computer         programs, a memory unit 92 for storing said instructions for         said computer programs and a wireless signaling unit 93 for         communicating with external devices 74, 83 over a wireless link         76, 82, 95 by means of one-way transmission of information;     -   providing at least one second device 74, 83 comprising a         recording apparatus adapted to be set to continuous capture of         pictorial information, a memory, and a wireless signaling system         for communicating with external devices over a wireless link;     -   receiving in said wearable sensor device 71-73; 80; 90 sensor         signals from said at least one sensor 91 and producing based on         said sensor signals commands to instruct storage of pictorial         information in said second device 74, 83;     -   transmitting said commands over said wireless link 76, 82, 95 to         said second device;     -   receiving said commands in said at least one second device 74,         83 and triggering in response to said commands storage of at         least part of said continuously captured pictorial information         in a memory of said at least one second device.

The second digital recording device 74, 83 is here by default presumed to have a memory to capture, and when so instructed, to store selected pictorial information in a predetermined way, for example as clips as discussed in connection with FIGS. 5 and 6. The captured pictorial information may thus be stored as video clips of a predetermined length. Each clip may thus be captured a predetermined period of time before and/or after a storage command was issued.

It is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention disclosed are not limited to the particular systems and process steps disclosed herein, but are extended to equivalents thereof as would be recognized by those ordinarily skilled in the relevant arts. It should also be understood that terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.

In addition, various embodiments and example of the present invention may be referred to herein along with alternatives for the various components thereof. It is understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives are not to be construed as de facto equivalents of one another, but are to be considered as separate and autonomous representations of the present invention.

Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

While the forgoing examples are illustrative of the principles of the present invention in one or more particular applications, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous modifications in form, usage and details of implementation can be made without the exercise of inventive faculty, and without departing from the principles and concepts of the invention. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the claims set forth below. 

1. A system for remote activation of a storage operation of pictorial information, comprising: a wearable sensor device, comprising at least one sensor, a processing unit for running computer programs, a memory unit for storing said instructions for said computer programs and a wireless signaling unit for communicating with external devices over a wireless link by means of one-way transmission of information; and at least one second device comprising a recording apparatus adapted to be set in a mode of continuous capture of pictorial information, a memory, and a wireless signaling system for communicating with external devices over a wireless link; wherein said processing unit in said wearable sensor device is adapted, based on sensor signals received from said at least one sensor, to send commands over said wireless link to said second digital device to trigger, in response to said commands, storage of at least part of said continuously captured pictorial information in the memory of said at least one second device.
 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said commands are generated by sensor signals tracking the movements, proximity, or the location of a user carrying said wearable sensor device.
 3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor device is a sensor module that is detachably attached to an apparel or equipment of a user.
 4. The system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor device is a sensor module that is integrated in a garment worn by the user.
 5. The system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor device is a sensor module that is integrated in a shoe of the user.
 6. The system according to claim 2, wherein said sensor device is a sensor module that is integrated in a sport equipment used by the user.
 7. The system according claim 1, wherein said second device is a wearable digital camera.
 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second device is a smartphone equipped with at least one digital camera.
 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said second device includes more than one digital camera.
 10. The system according claim 1, wherein said at least one second device is adapted to store captured pictorial information as video clips in its memory a predetermined period of time before and/or after having received a storage command.
 11. A method of activating a storage operation of pictorial information, comprising the steps of: providing a wearable sensor device comprising at least one sensor, a processing unit for running computer programs, a memory unit for storing said instructions for said computer programs and a wireless signaling unit for communicating with external devices over a wireless link by means of one-way transmission of information; providing at least one second device comprising a recording apparatus adapted to be set to continuous capture of pictorial information, a memory, and a wireless signaling system for communicating with external devices over a wireless link; receiving in said wearable device sensor signals from said at least one sensor and producing based on said sensor signals commands to instruct storage of pictorial information in said second device; transmitting said commands over said wireless link to said second device; and receiving said commands in said at least one second device and triggering in response to said commands storage of at least part of said continuously captured pictorial information in a memory of said at least one second device.
 12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of storing in said at least one second device captured pictorial information as video clips of a predetermined length, wherein each clip is captured a predetermined period of time before and/or after a storage command was issued. 